Will Child Support Keep Me From Getting A Job With Swift?

[RedRory]

I read earlier a post regarding the training period with Swift. Some of the people attending class were dismissed for child support issues.

Here is my situation.

I am currently employed as a maintenence mechanic paying child support and also supporting my disabled mother who was denied social security disability. My mother is insane from all of the pain medications that she is taking and has threatened to kill me on several occasions. She also drives me nutts. Also the money I currently make does not cover all of the bills.
A long haul job would let me help out my crazy mother and get me out of the house. My son recently moved out of State so he is no longer keeping me here.

My plan was to go to Swift to get my class A liscense under their work off your tuition program. Problem is I owe over $10,000 in back child support due to a long story of getting screwed by the system. Please do not judge me as a deadbeat as I paid on my own for five years. The system made me a deadbeat when my wages became attached during a medical problem.

I do not want to quit my job and sign up with Swift if I am going to be dismissed and have to owe the tuition on top of everything else.

My criminal record is clean and I have one point on my class C within the last 3 years. There is suspensions from three years ago all over my H6 however but they were taken care of before the liscense became revoked. My liscense is currently not suspended nor revoked. No DUI's and I can pass a drug test with my hair.

What can I expect? Right now I am very desperate and considering one of those crazy mindsweeper jobs in Iraq that pay very well.

Thank You.

[Fozzy]

call Swift! ONLY they can answer these questions. Better yet, to save time, apply electronically and save the time and aggravation! get the name of the person you talked to and keep it close at all times and be ready refer to it.

[Uturn2001]

Your best bet is to call Swift, but if you have not been criminally prosecuted for the back amount then there probably will not be problem.

[Skywalker]

I agree with the others about calling Swift. But for certain....deal with only one individual, and that one only...that way it stays straight.

Have you considered putting yourself in a voluntary garnishment agreement for an agreed amount to be paid from your check....that can be paid by your employer before you ever see the money? That kind of thing can be arranged. You might look into it before they think about moving on you legally. Also, you would need to have an agreement in place with the court or responsible legal entity that handles child support so you don't go to the trouble of getting the CDL-A and the job....then be pulled over and it found that you are in arrears....and get shut down or lose the CDL.... This is not something to approach lightly.

Sorry to hear about your problems.

About your mother.... if she is seeing more than one MD...and they are all prescribing meds....are they each communicating with the other? In the distant past, when I worked in the medical instrument arena, I know of many cases where patients were prescribed meds that conflicted with others they were taking and the different MD's didn't know what the patient was taking....some combinations can be highly toxic, even to the extent of "terminal". Is there any way that you can look into that?

Best of Luck to you!!

[coastie]

I am currently employed as a maintenence mechanic paying child support and also supporting my disabled mother who was denied social security disability. My mother is insane from all of the pain medications that she is taking and has threatened to kill me on several occasions. She also drives me nutts. Also the money I currently make does not cover all of the bills.
A long haul job would let me help out my crazy mother and get me out of the house. My son recently moved out of State so he is no longer keeping me here.

As for Swift, I can not suggest anything different than what others have said.

As for your Mothers Disability, there is No reason for her to be denied. If she only been turned down once, Get a lawyer, there are many who will not Charge you but take it out of the payment of the disabilityand they can not take more than 20%. SSDI wants you to give up, and many do. You have tyo show your serious by Fighting it. It took me 3 years to get it myself.

PM me if you need more answers about Disability for your mom.

[b'hamWa]

don't worry about the child support. Most ppl who have been fired for it are ones who owe tons and been prosecuted. They'll just take 50% out of your check. it'll be out before you know what hit ya....

Speaking as a former swift employee who owed child support. :sad:

[greg3564]

Your state may also deny you a Class A CDL. Some states consider that a "privileged license" and will check state records to see if you are in arrears on support payments. Check with your local DMV to see if that is the case.

[ben45750]

Some of the people attending class were dismissed for child support issues.

Out of curiosity do you know why they were dismissed? I wouldn't think it would be illegal for them to terminate an employee just because they have to pay child support? I would think they would have to have some pretty serious issues with the child support enforcement people to be dismissed from orientation?

Otherwise I wouldn't think you should have any problems. I pay child support and have never been questioned by an employer about it.

[greg3564]

Some of the people attending class were dismissed for child support issues.

Out of curiosity do you know why they were dismissed? I wouldn't think it would be illegal for them to terminate an employee just because they have to pay child support? I would think they would have to have some pretty serious issues with the child support enforcement people to be dismissed from orientation?

Otherwise I wouldn't think you should have any problems. I pay child support and have never been questioned by an employer about it.

Many employers just don't want the hassle of dealing with support issues such as garnishments and legal issues. As a private employer, they can do what they want.

[Skywalker]

Some of the people attending class were dismissed for child support issues.

Out of curiosity do you know why they were dismissed? I wouldn't think it would be illegal for them to terminate an employee just because they have to pay child support?

In that event...they were not "terminated". They were never "employed" so they could not be fired. If I remember correctly....way back when I worked for Swift (95') they had you sign an "At Will" notice that you were an At Will Employee....which simply means: They can terminate you at any time, and are not required to tell you why. Some states don't have that provision....but others permit it.

I would think they would have to have some pretty serious issues with the child support enforcement people to be dismissed from orientation?

There are several possible issues. First being....if the individual is that deep in the hole, it leans toward "personal unreliability". The company has no way of knowing the whys and wherefor's. So, they make a judgment call. Second....there could have been an outstanding "bench" type of warrant out for the individual for the back child support, and if this was the case...then any funds spent to train them would have been a complete waste, and they would not have gotten the CDL anyway from the DMV.

Most companies do not consider or make you an employee on the books until you have jumped through all of the hoops and have satisfied all of their requirements. Like a "pre-hire" is just an invitation to fill out the paperwork and show up....then we'll see if you make the cut. It has zero guarantees attached to it. Even for an experienced driver getting called to orientation is not a guarantee of employment....again its the "hoops" thing.

Otherwise I wouldn't think you should have any problems. I pay child support and have never been questioned by an employer about it.[/quote]

[ben45750]

Many employers just don't want the hassle of dealing with support issues such as garnishments and legal issues. As a private employer, they can do what they want.

By law you cannot be discharged for a garnishment and cannot be discriminated against for having a garnishment or being discriminated against if you have a garnishment. Debtors are protected by Consumer Credit Protection Act and The Dept of Labor.

http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/statutes/whd/garn01.pdf

304. Restriction on discharge from employment by reason of garnishment.
(a) No employer may discharge any employee by reason of the fact that his earnings have been subjected to garnishment for any one indebtedness.
(b) Whoever willfully than $1,000, or imprisoned violates subsection (a) of this section shall be fined not more not more than one year, or both.


...........Adds sexual orientation to existing law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
national origin, ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, color, or disability, against
any person in any program or activity conducted, operated, or administered by the state or
by any state agency, or that is funded directly by the state, or that receives any financial
assistance from the state.

[century451]

If your mother has no means of support and you have the doctors to back it up, go to your public administrater and have them appointed your mothers guardian. They will get her the help she needs and relieve the financial burden on you as well as get her disability to take care of her.

You may not like this route but it is an option.

[rickstephens]

i went threw swift school in nov 06 and there were a few people who owed child support it depends on the state and how much plus like the others said you need to have a plan ahead of time

[Malaki86]

I've never had a problem with companies and my child support. One thing you may want to check on, however, is if the carrier goes to Canada. I've heard that it can be a real hassle on the child support issue.

[greg3564]

Many employers just don't want the hassle of dealing with support issues such as garnishments and legal issues. As a private employer, they can do what they want.

By law you cannot be discharged for a garnishment and cannot be discriminated against for having a garnishment or being discriminated against if you have a garnishment. Debtors are protected by Consumer Credit Protection Act and The Dept of Labor.

http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/statutes/whd/garn01.pdf

304. Restriction on discharge from employment by reason of garnishment.
(a) No employer may discharge any employee by reason of the fact that his earnings have been subjected to garnishment for any one indebtedness.
(b) Whoever willfully than $1,000, or imprisoned violates subsection (a) of this section shall be fined not more not more than one year, or both.


...........Adds sexual orientation to existing law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
national origin, ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, color, or disability, against
any person in any program or activity conducted, operated, or administered by the state or
by any state agency, or that is funded directly by the state, or that receives any financial
assistance from the state.

You are right. However, you are not an employee until you finish orientation. So technically they can send you home for any reason they want. Does that suck? You bet. And let's face it, the "law" is rarely followed or enforced. They have deeper pockets than all of their drivers combined. They would have you tied up in the legal system for years if you tried to sue. Then if the "law" was broken, they would simply get a slap on the wrist by the government.

[ben45750]

yep, your right. they can send you home for anything.

[Mars]

WOW what a real catch 22. Someone wants to get a job to pay child support but can't get one because they owe child support.

In one way it makes sense that a company will not hire you on, due to the fact here in Canada if you do not pay your child support they will pull your drivers license faster than you can blink. Obviously some arrangement needs to be made with family services and tell them you need this job to pay them.

Best of luck on this issue.

[Twilight Flyer]

The issue is indeed Canada. Canada views unpaid child support as a felony and therefore, you cannot cross the border. Swift does some Canadian runs and I believe their policy is that if you cannot run Canada, you cannot be hired. In fact, most companies that run Canada freight have the same type of policy.

[RedRory]

Thank you for your responses.

It appears that the issue is obtaining a passport. In California if you owe more than $5000 you are not eligible for a passport. I might be able to strike up an offer in compromise to get the amount owed down below $5000. I guess that means no mine sweeper job in Iraq either.

I have been doing a lot of research on the issue of child support arrears ruining non costodial parents lives.

IMHO this is how it is and where it is going in a nutshell.

1. When child support services began suspending liscenses collections skyrocketed as non costodial parents did whatever they could to keep their drivers liscense. Now the amount owed has tripled as desperate parents are driven underground and out of State.

2. The suicide rate for single non costodial parents has escalated.

3. California charges 10% a year interest on unpaid support. Where does this money go? Good question. It doesn't seem to be going to my son's mother.

4. Most "deadbeat dad's" are low income unskilled workers. Here in California if you fit that category you better know how to speak Spanish (IMHO). I look at the help wanted ads and a lot of them say must be bilingual. One lady working as a temp at my work got dismissed for not being able to speak Spanish (they did not tell her that was the reason but it was).

Anybody know of any super dangerous high paying jobs in California?
I need a way out of this trap and that seems to be the best way. Get rich or die trying.

There is always hope and I cling to the prospect that I will be able to support my son (whom I love very much) both financially and by being there for him.

[Useless]

Well, for starters, I would highly recommend checking with you local Legal Aid Society. If there is a University nearby which offers a Law School, you might check with them as well. 2nd & 3rd year law students are often able to help people in your situation, although I must state that I know very little about California law.

Sorry, I can't promise an outcome, but I do know that you are going to need competent asssistance in navigating through the beuracratic process, and they may also be able to help you reach some type of equitable settlement .

BOL2U, Prayers 2 U & ur kids.